Differentiation of murine B cells induced by chondroitin sulfate B

A two-step culture system was used to investigate the role of chondroitin sulfate (CS) B, which is mitogenic to B cells, in differentiation of B cells. Mouse spleen B cells were incubated for 3 days with CSB in the presence of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5. After washing, the cells were replated at 105 viable cells/well and recultured without CSB in the presence of IL-4 and IL-5. CSB dose-dependently increased IgM production, the greatest enhancement being 450%. Dextran sulfate had a similar effect, whereas other glycosaminoglycans, CSA, CSC, heparin and hyaluronic acid, were marginally effective. Treatment of B cells with CSB resulted in increases in the number of IgM-secreting cells and numbers of CD138-positive cells and CD45R/B220-negative cells. CSB-induced IgM production was inhibited by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X but not by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin. These results demonstrated that CSB promoted differentiation of B cells in the presence of IL-4 and IL-5 and suggested that PKC but not PI3K is crucial for CSB-induced IgM production.